The Secret World of Arrietty

Hidden inside a quiet home, a teen borrower named Arrietty and her family make a living by quietly reclaiming tiny objects from their human hosts. They move through vents and walls with careful stealth, turning borrowed scraps into a functioning world of their own. Everything shifts when a curious boy living upstairs notices Arrietty during a moment of quiet wonder. The encounter unsettles a fragile balance between the miniature family and the larger human world, forcing both sides to reassess trust, danger, and what family means. The Clocks must decide how far they will go to protect their home while preserving a fragile hope for coexistence. Its quiet humor often lingers with viewers. The film promises warmth and gentle suspense.

Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi for Studio Ghibli, The Secret World of Arrietty adapts Mary Norton s The Borrowers. With a budget around 23 million, the film debuted in 2010 in Japan and then reached audiences worldwide, earning broad appeal across continents.

Box office worldwide was $149,660,003, illustrating strong appeal for family audiences and international distribution, while keeping the Studio Ghibli signature style accessible to viewers beyond Japan and reinforcing the idea that hand drawn animation remains commercially viable in the market.

As a Studio Ghibli release crafted by a new director, Arrietty resonated with viewers across ages by blending fairy tale whimsy with real world concerns. Its lush visuals and memorable character dynamics helped keep the idea of a hidden micro world alive in popular culture and family conversations everywhere today.

Critics praised its craftsmanship, emotional warmth, and faithfulness to the source material while updating it for a modern audience. The film invites reflection on resourcefulness, the bonds of family, and the tension between curiosity and safety in unfamiliar environments, often leaving audiences with hopeful questions. It remains a cherished memory.